| Aric Amirola Returns To Florida Racing | Out Duels Brian Finney For Sunbelt Win At Ocala
By Jack Smith
Ocala Speedway is now one of Florida's finest facilities
The FASCAR Sunbelt Super Late Model Series moved to Ocala Speedway Saturday night for race number eleven on in its fourteen race campaign. Seventeen race teams showed up on this chilly October night at the "D" shaped 3/8 mile track in North Central Florida. Merritt Island's Brian Finney grabbed the pole position with the fastest qualifying time, followed by Tampa native Aric Amirola and Rich Pratt of Anthony, Fl.
Brian Finney jumped out front in the early going with Amirola close behind, the two lead drivers building a sizable margin from the rest of the field. This was the case throughout most of this race as the two lead drivers battled for the lead until the final lap of the 125 lap event.
The ghouls were out after Brian's brother Kevin Finney right from the start, responsible for the first 3 cautions as he spun on lap 3 lap 9 and finally on lap 30, finally retiring his #180 at that point.
Fain Skinner from Live Oak, Fl. spun on lap 46. He left the track for good shortly thereafter.
As Amirola applied extreme pressure on Finney lap after lap, Ryan Foster(Lowell, Arkansas) got underneath Scott Grossenbacher (San Antonio, Fl.) to pass going through turn one, contact was made and Grossenbacher's 09 spun out. This brought out the fifth caution of the night and the 09 was sent to the rear of the field.
Just before the half way mark Amirola got on the bottom down the backstretch and got a good run off four leading at the stripe by a half car length. From that point until lap 124 Finney stayed on Amirola's rear bumper.
Meanwhile on lap 89 Lake City's Jay Middleton blew up in a cloud of smoke to bring out the sixth, and longest caution of the night, as the FASCAR officials checked the track for fluids.
As the laps wound down it was clear that only Finney had a legitimate shot to over take Amirola, as the number 57 and 80 were well out in front of Rich Pratt and the rest of the field.
The dynamics of the race seemed to change with 10 to go. While Amirola had pulled away during the previous 25 or so laps, all of a sudden Finney, driving hard through the turns was able to catch Amirola. Pratt got up on Finney and if the two leaders should make a mistake the 0 machine was poised to snatch a victory.
As the final laps wound down the fans were all on their feet cheering on their favorite, and finally the inevitable happened. The leaders came down the long curving back straight nose to tail and as they went into turn four Finney and Amirola made contact both cars spinning out as they came off the corner and of course the yellow was flying.
Finney reluctantly took his place at the rear of the lead lap cars as the field lined up for a final green flag lap. Amirola easily outdistanced Rich Pratt to take the checkered flag.
Kevin Finney (left) and brother Brian both had forgettable nights but 10 minutes after the race were seen smiling.
Aric Amirola, a member of the Joe Gibbs Racing developmental team has been racing big events around North Carolina and Virginia of late.He made his first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start in July at Memphis.
Before relocating to Mooresville NC, Amirola successfully raced Modifieds and Super Late Models in the Florida circuits.
Amirola thanked the Ocala Speedway owners (the Armstrongs) for the chance to drive the #57 they own. "I had the weekend off until two days ago and they told me to come down here and drive this car, and I'm real thankful for the opportunity", he said in the Winners Circle.
As for the last lap encounter with Finney Amirola explained, "I just hate it that me and Brian got into it down there, we're real good friends and I'm sure he's not my friend no more, but I apologies and I was just racing."
The race, which took just over 41 minutes to complete, saw the Sunbelt Series get it's 8th different winner in 11 races. The series has three more races in 2005. The races remaining are the Florida Triple Crown events starting Nov. 12 at Citrus County Speedway, Nov. 19 at New Smyrna Speedway (40th Annual Governor's Cup 200) and the season ending Nov. 26 race at Desoto Super Speedway in Bradenton, Fl.
Sunbelt points leader Jason Boyd shares a moment with FASCAR GM Don Nerone and a fan.
After tonight's race points leader (and leading Sunbelt rookie) Jason Boyd, driving the Dick Anderson 92 machine, strengthened his advantage over an absent Wayne Anderson and Fain Skinner, who finished a dismal 13th.
Jeff Scofield, normally a contender to win any Florida Super Late Model race he enters, qualified poorly (13th) and managed to work his way up 5th, but was never a threat. Ten cars finished, seven cars leaving for mechanical reasons.
RELATED LINK: Aric Amirola was a guest last week on Short Track America, listen to the 20 minute interview now...CLICK HERE!.
Finishing Order
1. 57 Amirola
2. 0 Pratt
3. 92 Boyd
4. 10 Foster
5. 07 Scofield
6. 09 Grossenbacher
7. 2 Conrad
8. 80 Brian Finney (last car on lead lap)
9. 6 Johnson
10. 0x Robinson
11. 28 Crockett
12. 74 Middleton
13. 1 Skinner
14. 77 Williams
15. 180 Kevin Finney
16. 20 Millar
17. 82 Everts
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